Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a resolute stance, rejecting international pressure to halt the conflict in Gaza. He asserted that if “forced,” Israel would “stand alone” in its ongoing battle against Hamas.
Netanyahu’s statement came in response to President Joe Biden’s announcement that the United States would refrain from providing offensive weapons for Israel’s anticipated assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah.
“As the Prime Minister of Israel, the one and only Jewish State, I pledge here today, from Jerusalem, on this Holocaust Remembrance Day, if Israel is forced to stand alone, Israel will stand alone. But we know we are not alone, because countless decent people around the world support our just cause. And I say to you we will defeat our genocidal enemies,” Netanyahu declared on Thursday.
Reflecting on the historical vulnerability of the Jewish people, Netanyahu evoked the memory of the Holocaust, stating, “Eighty years ago, in the Holocaust, the Jewish people were totally defenceless against those who sought our destruction. No nation came to our aid.”
Addressing contemporary challenges, he added, “Today, we again confront enemies bent on our destruction. I say to the leaders of the world, no amount of pressure, no decision by any international forum will stop Israel from defending itself.”
Asserting Israel’s determination, Netanyahu proclaimed, “If we have to stand alone, we will stand alone. If we need to, we will fight with our fingernails. But we have much more than fingernails.”
The day of Netanyahu’s declaration coincided with Yom Hashoah, Israel’s annual Holocaust memorial day, commemorating the 6 million Jews killed by Nazi Germany and its allies during World War II.
The conflict in Gaza escalated following an October 7 attack by Hamas, during which approximately 2,500 militants breached the border into Israel from the Gaza Strip. Israel has characterised its offensive in Gaza as targeting Hamas infrastructure with the objective of dismantling the entire terror organisation while minimising civilian casualties.
Recent developments include Hamas firing rockets from the area of the Rafah border crossing, targeting the Kerem Shalom border crossing where humanitarian aid trucks pass. This attack resulted in the deaths of four soldiers and the closure of Kerem Shalom, which served as a crucial entry point for humanitarian aid.
In response to the escalating violence, residents of certain Rafah neighbourhoods received evacuation notices, while displaced Palestinians in the Philadelphi corridor along the Gaza-Egypt border were also instructed to relocate to humanitarian zones.
The ongoing conflict has resulted in significant casualties and hostage situations, with both sides entrenched in a volatile and protracted confrontation.
